Anthro Evolution Part Two
by Justin O'Toole
Summary: It carries on straight after part one.
1. Chapter 1

Tropy was looking up Jake's full name on the United States government database. 'Jake B Walker… date of residency 23.06.75… current employer: None. He then looked him up on the CIA website and found nothing but firewalled pages that needed a password that only either Jake or another employee would know. He used the computer's hacking software to get passed the firewall, he was only able to get passed the first page though. He clicked on another link and was stopped with a message:

'WARNING SECTOR OSI1

ACCESS FORBIDDEN'.

The only people who did have access were highly ranking officials in the CIA, UN, Secret Service and the president. Suddenly a pair of computer generated eyes appeared on the screen before the whole system shut down. Tropy knew this indicated that he had been observed by someone in one of the agencies the whole time and had just tracked the computer's location. But Tropy had enough information to realise who Jake really was and ran out of the room in a panic. He then heard the sound of the Copy-Ray being used on Jake. He snuck up the stairs and opened the door just enough to see inside. As soon as he heard what Jake said to him he ran out of the castle towards the dock, got on Dingodile's boat and went to the east side of island, as he approached the beach near the dog temple he got out a remote detonator and pressed a button.

*KABOOM!*

Debris and rock flew out from the temple, Tropy turned north and accelerated towards the horizon.


	2. Chapter 2

Everyone in the lab was still staring at Jake on the floor.

"What did he say?" Megumi asked.

"Somehow I don't think he was talking to us. He looked straight at Aku and Uka who were watching everything through the window behind us and it was if he was possessed." Brio said as he looked at the window to see that the two masks had disappeared.

"I think this is quite serious, we better ask the masks what the hell is going on." NGin said.

"I don't care _what_ just happened, Bob! Take him to the detention cells! Nobody treats me like that and gets away with it!"

"Are you sure that's a good idea Neo, you saw how strong and angry he was when he woke up on the table think how he'll be if he wakes up in a cell." Brio said.

"The copy-ray must have made him stronger." NGin said.

"Then we shall put him in electrified chains! He is not to go anywhere! Bob, take him to the detention cells, now!" Neo demanded. Bob finally activated.

"User profile system error."

"What the hell has happened to your tin trash this time NGin?!?"

"I don't know, they've been acting up ever since this storm."

"I don't care how long it takes just sort it out!"

"I'll think about it."

"*Argh* Must I do everything myself these days?" Neo got some tac handcuffs from a drawer and tied Jake's arms and legs together while the others watched.

"Will one of you at least help me get him to the dorms?"

"Oh so it's the dorms now is it? I thought he was to go to the detention cells." Megumi said.

"Whatever, he is still to be locked in there until further notice." Brio and NGin reluctantly helped carry him to the dormitories with Megumi following behind. They took him to an empty room next to Ernest's and placed him on the floor, Megumi cut off the tacs that bound him together as NGin and Neo left.

"Nick?"

"Yes Meg?"

"Can I stay with him for when he wakes up? He's most likely going to be in a bad mood."

"Are you sure, even after the last time when he nearly killed you?"

"Don't worry. I'll use one of NGin's stunners just in case.

"Ok but we can't be sure when he will wake up if he's in a coma."

"I'll come back if it's longer than a day or so. What did he mean when he said he 'sensed you were already dying'?"

"*sigh* Meg, please don't get upset."

"You still haven't done something about that tumour have you? I thought said you were going to get it sorted."

"I will, but I need to find Aku first."

"But it's been a year now! I'm just scared your next stroke will be your last."

"I'm sorry, I'll do what I can, I promise."

Once Brio left, Megumi lifted Jake up onto the bed. She called a medi-bot to bring a heart rate monitor. After it was fitted the medi-bot waited in the room with her as she did calculations in her journal for new perfumes. Early the next morning the medi-bot suddenly moved and scanned Jake's body, Megumi got up from the couch.

"I detect mutation in the subject's DNA." The medi-bot said. Megumi looked puzzled, she went up to Jake's body and noticed his brown hair was starting to become lighter into a blonde colour. She grabbed the wall-phone and called Brio.

"Yes?"

"Nick, it's Meg."

"What is it, has he woken up yet?"

"No, but something's happening to him, you better get down here immediately."

"Ok, we'll be there in a bit," A bit later Brio, Bob, NGin and Neo came through the door. "What's happening?"

"Just look at him." Megumi said. They all stood by the bed and noticed Jake's appearance was starting to change. His hair had turned completely blonde and the bone structure of his face was moving.

"Look at his skin!" NGin said pointing to Jake's arm, they all saw blonde hair rapidly growing out of his skin all over his body.

"His face." Neo said. The four of them watched as Jake's entire body changed. His arms and legs got longer with the sound of faint cracking, the skin on the front of his hands darkened and the shape of his ears changed.

"He appears to be morphing into something." Brio said.

"What's he turning into?" Megumi asked.

"He's starting to look like a lion." Brio answered. Megumi quickly took off Jake's brown walking boots to so they would not cause any pain in case Jake woke up.

"Looks like my experiment was not a failure after all, just… delayed." Neo said. After a few minutes Jake's entire body had turned into a full anthro lion.

"The subject is regaining consciousness." The medi-bot said. Neo zapped a stun stick to life.

"Stand back Meg, we don't know what he's going to do." Brio said. Megumi went and stood behind Brio as Jake started to move. He was laying facing away from them, Neo went round the other side of the bed with the stun stick ready. Jake was now awake but he could sense people in the room so he pretended he was still asleep. Neo moved a little closer,

"You awake?" he asked. As Neo glanced to the others Jake shot out of the bed and grabbed Neo. Neo screamed in fear and dropped the stick on the floor as Jake held him up by his lab coat and pinned him against the wall.

"Now you listen to me and you listen good you yellow skinned freak!" Jake demanded. Neo nodded in fear. "Where the fuck am I and what the fuck is going on?"

"You-you're in my castle and th-the m-machine worked." Neo said feebly. Jake then noticed his hands were now lion paws.

"What the?" He saw a mirror in the en-suite bathroom, dropped Neo on the floor and quickly went up to it. "What the fuck have you done?!?" Jake demanded.

"Its ok, you're not the only one." Megumi said. He turned to her.

"What? (turned to Megumi) Megumi Bandicoot." Jake said looking a little shocked.

"How do you know my name?"

"Err *sigh* Dammit! Never mind, I might explain it later maybe. What's the full date?"

"November 20th 2008." NGin said.

"23rd" Brio replied.

"Oh."

"What did you say earlier, in the lab?" Megumi asked.

"It's all a blur, all I remember is waking up next to Toba and falling in front of you (looked at Brio)." They all looked at him suspiciously. Jake examined his appearance in front of the mirror, pulling at his flesh and gums and checking his teeth.

"What do you think?" Neo asked. Jake closed his eyes and took a deep breathe and started stretching looking relieved.

"How did I get this white streak in my hair?"

"Approximately five hundred million volts passed through Mr Walker's body prior to his discovery." The medi-bot answered. NGin looked puzzled and fiddled with his hand-held device.

"You must have been struck by lightning." Brio said. Jake rubbed the base of his spine.

"Hold on a sec. Medi-bot, scissors." Megumi said. The medi-bot handed her some scissors and she cut a hole in Jake's shorts allowing a tale to come out.

"*sigh* You have no idea how this feels. Is this mutation reversible?"

"We don't know. We will have to do some tests" Brio said.

"Which one of you did this to me?"

"We all did." Neo said.

"Actually it was _you _who used the machine Neo." NGin said.

"But they helped me make it."

"I never said it was fully ready yet-"

"You lot can quit bitching, I don't want to be changed back, I just wanted to know if it was reversible."

"Really?" NGin asked.

"Yes and I'm not going to say why either. You said a name earlier 'Tropy' what's his full name?" The four of them looked at each other.

"We only know him as Dr Nefarious Tropy." Brio said. Jake suddenly looked very tense and unwell at hearing the name.

"Where is he?" Jake asked coldly.

"Incoming call from subject: Dingodile to Dr Brio's office." Bob said.

"Re-direct the call here." Brio said. The wall phone then started to ring as Brio went to pick it up.

"Hello?... Oh hi Dingo… your boat?... Gone?... when did you notice it was gone?... really?... I think I know who took it… it was Tropy, I think he's done a runner for some reason… don't worry perhaps NGin can make you a new one… I'm sure it'll be even better than the last… ok I'll speak to you later… bye." He put the phone back.

"Yeah I'll just snap my fingers and there'll be a nice boat waiting for Dingodile at the dock won't there?" NGin said.

"How long ago did he leave?" Jake asked.

"Dingodile said he only noticed the boat was gone after he saw the lights flashing in the lab."

"How long ago was that?"

"Yesterday."

"Dammit so close!!!!! *ARGH!*" Jake roared as he punched a hole in the wall. "Where did he go?"

"We don't know, but he knows what could happen if he is found by outsiders." Brio said.

"Huh, yeah. Wait, Dingodile, is he-"

"Half Dingo, half Crocodile." Neo said.

"Wow, of course its 2008 already so that must mean..." Jake entered deep thought.

"What are you on about?" Neo asked.

"Nothing."

"I saw your plane falling out of the sky, what brought you here?" Brio asked.

"Never mind that just yet, where's Toba?"

"He was taken down to the morgue." Megumi said.

"I want to go and see him."

"You're not going anywhere! Bob, restrain him!" Neo demanded. Bob looked at him.

"No." Bob said.

"WHAT!?! How DARE you disobey a direct order! Restrain him now!" Bob just looked at everyone else, NGin pressed a button on a hand-held device that shut Bob down. "Dammit NGin, will you fix this junk already!"

"Why don't you try restraining me yourself?!?" Jake asked. Neo picked up the stun stick and turned it to full voltage but Jake noticed NGin fiddle with his hand-held device again that he pointed towards the stun stick.

"Very well." Neo went up to Jake *THUMP* Jake just stood there staring at him as if nothing happened. *THUMP* Still nothing. Jake glared at him with an empty grin.

"Pathetic!" Jake said, he then back-pawed Neo in the head knocking him out on to the floor. "Will he be much of a problem?" Brio popped another pill.

"Not really, he should eventually give up when he realises that he will never have control over you." Brio said.

"Who the hell is that anyway?"

"Dr Neo Cortex." Brio said.

"What, _that_ is Cortex?"

"The one and only." NGin said.

"I was expecting a lot more judging by the file we have on him."

"Who are you?" NGin asked.

"It's not important who I am yet. Is there somewhere he can go where he _won't_ be a problem?"

"He wanted to put you in a cage at first." NGin said.

"Where is the cage?"

"Well they're more like prison cells." Brio said. Jake ripped some of Neo's lab coat off with one of his claws and tied Cortex up with it.

"What are you gonna do?" Megumi asked. Jake turned to her.

"Can you take him to the cells?"

"Ok-" Before Megumi went to take Neo Bob suddenly grabbed Cortex and left the room. NGin scratched his head and pressed buttons on his hand-held device. Jake, Megumi and Brio followed NGin outside.

"Bob halt!" NGin shouted. Bob stopped. "Identify who authorised you your last command."

"Last command received from system administrator: Jake B Walker."

"What. Identify who made Mr Walker system administrator."

"Information classified."

"What, I made and programmed you! As leading Administrator I order you to tell me who made Mr Walker an administrator!"

"The information you require is not available to substitute administrators." Brio came up behind NGin.

"Bob, state user system profiles." Brio said.

"System administrator: Classified. System administrator: Jake B Walker. System administrator: Dr Neo Cortex, Substitute administrator: Dr Nicholas Brio, Substitute administrator: Dr Nathan Ginsfield. Standard user: Megumi Bandicoot." NGin scratched the left side of his head, fiddled and banged on his hand-held device trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"I think only Mr Walker is allowed to find out NGin." Brio said.

"But, how!?! And why?!? I know Bob is different to other lab assistants now but he's never been like this before." NGin said.

"Who's profile is Classified?" Jake asked. The bob turned to Jake.

"Required information is only available in a secure location." Bob answered.

"Ok, so take us to a secure location." Jake said. Bob then turned around and started walking down the corridor carrying Cortex. They all followed Bob through the basement to the cells when they arrived two elite lab assistants were waiting beside a thick iron door with a small flap for passing looks and food.

"Who put them here?" Megumi asked.

"I did." Bob answered. NGin still looked puzzled and just watched what was happening. His hand-held device seemed to have switched itself off. One of the elites opened the door that made it creak with a loud metallic groan. Bob went inside the cell and put the unconscious Cortex on the floor and came back out and closed the door.

"The location is now secure." Bob said.

"Good, so you can now tell me what the hell is going on?" NGin said. Bob glanced at him then at a camera on the ceiling.

"This way sir." Bob said to Jake. Bob led them back to the room where Jake woke up but this time there was another two elite-bots on either side of the door. They all went inside and the door was locked behind them.

"Audio file play back commencing in three, two, one:

"Hello there Jake," The voice was electronically disguised. "I hope my hacking skills have paid off and only you are listening to this. *fssst* I have all if not most of the information that you come here looking for. *fssst* Sadly it wont be long until the wrong people will find out. You need to make sure that Cortex doesn't discover what you're up to just yet *fsssst*. You are right in what you think about Dr NGin and Dr Brio *fsssst* I can assure you your colleagues suspicions are incorrect but I understand if you still have some questions for them plus a job to do. *fssst* Come to the *fssssssssst* before *fsssst* gets here. If the situation changes I'll try to contact you again. *fsssst*"

End of audio file." Bob said.

"Who the hell was that?" NGin asked.

"Information not available." Bob replied.

"Well whoever it was must have somehow hacked into the main system, used whatever lab assistant he had with him as a radio to another lab assistant who was used to record the message."

"Affirmative." Bob said.

"What 'job' was that person talking about?" Megumi asked.

"Ah yes this thing." Jake fumbled in his pockets before digging out a piece of paper. "Dr Brio, Dr NGin. This here is a warrant for your arrest, I'll read out what it says. 'Doctor Nicholas Brio and Doctor Nathan Ginsfield yadda yadda yadda are to be instantly placed under house arrest and face criminal charges of high treason to The Common Wealth State, damages to property of approximately five million Australian Dollars, unauthorized use of military grade technology, tax evasion…' the list goes on so I'll skip to the important bit. '…unless the suspects agree to terms of compulsory cooperation in the resolution of current global crises. Where the suspects are to assist national or allied governments by offering their service to whichever may so happen to need them until further notice or until they are no longer needed at which they shall face trial for the crimes that they have been charged with the possibility of a reduced sentence. If however the suspects agree to the terms but choose to violate them thereafter then they are to instantly be placed into custody and await trial without the chance of a reduced sentence or the chance of any appeal to the crimes at which they are charged. If the suspects do not choose to accept the terms then they are to be placed into custody and await trial for the crimes at which they are charged without the chance of appeal or a reduced sentence.' So, what'll it be, house arrest and confinement or compulsory cooperation?" Megumi was speechless with shock.

"Megumi I-" Brio pleaded but Megumi ignored him and ran out the room crying. "I-I wish she d-didn't have to hear that."

"It's better than being dragged off by masked men never to be seen again." Jake said.

"Are we wanted for the flooding I caused back in eighty-eight?" NGin asked.

"Eighty-nine" Brio said.

"I'm surprised you're honest, but save it for the questioning. All I need you from now is to sign this form saying that you agree with the terms."

"What are the terms?" Brio asked.

"Basically you two are to be constantly and closely monitored until you face trial, you are to wear tracker tags and be at my disposal. Neither one of you are allowed to have any communication from this place unless it extremely necessary at which the communication will also be closely monitored, well that's what is meant to happen but somehow I think I can trust you two so all I need you to do is inform me of everything you do or whatever information you think may be useful for me. I especially don't want to find out that you've been doing things behind my back."

"I think we choose to accept them don't we NGin?"

"Err, yes of course. Is Cortex in wanted as well?"

"Yes, the list of his offences and the charges he faces is a few inches thick compared to both of yours. Those tests, can we do them at some point Dr Brio?"

"Of course, when do you want to do them?" Brio asked.

"Err, tomorrow some time, I need to sort stuff out first though but right now I want to see Toba, then I'll be going back to the crash site."

"Ok. Bob, take Mr Walker to the morgue." Dr Brio said.

"I'll need you both to wait here until I get back, I shouldn't be long."

"Ok." Brio said and NGin nodded.


	3. Chapter 3

Jake followed Bob to the morgue, when he arrived he quickly paced up to Toba once he saw his body. Jake took off the sheet and held Toba's body close to him. Jake held him for a few seconds before shaking his head and lowering Toba back on the table. His breathing got heavier as rage entirely consumed Jake. He started to smash everything he could grab his paws on, throwing objects and the metal furniture around.

*ROOOOOAAAAAAAAR* Megumi came up to the door and watched Jake through its meshed window. She watched him for a while and caught a glimpse of his reflection on one of the morgue storage doors. She could see nothing but rage in Jake's facial expression and his eyes were lit up even more than they were when he had grabbed her in the lab. She quickly hid to the side of the door as he started to turn around. Jake continued smashing things for a few more seconds before everything went quiet. Jake clenched his paw on his chest and slowly descended to the floor with his eyes closed. Megumi looked through the window again and saw Jake crouching down facing away from her. She decided to enter the morgue.

"I'm sorry for your friend." Jake spun round.

"What happened, how long was I out?"

"I don't know, you had already started when I arrived." Jake looked around at the destruction he had caused in the room.

"I must have blacked out again, it's been years since the last time. It's a good thing you weren't in here when it happened. *sigh* Do you mind?" Jake asked pointing behind him to Toba's exposed corpse.

"Sure." Megumi went and re-covered Toba's body.

"Thanks."

"Were you two close friends?"

"More than that, we were like brothers. The entire time we were together he kept reminding me of someone from my childhood I think, my past is very blurry before I came to this time."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm from the future but I came in eighty-seven."

"Is that how you remember me?"

"Not only you, everyone Gen *cough * excuse me, Crash, Crunch, Tani, their kids, the Potoroos, Tiny, Tawna, everyone."

"Wow, what's it like in the future?"

"That's the one question I can never answer okay?"

"Ok."

"If I did I would risk creating a paradox, something I despise. Time travel is very dangerous, believe me."

"Those things Dr Brio is wanted for, are they true?"

"It's just something I was given at the last minute but don't worry, I suspect that Cortex is who's really responsible for all the charges. I just need Dr Brio and Dr NGin to cooperate."

"Ok. Shall I see if I can organise a barbeque, so you can meet everyone else?"

"Sure sounds great."

"It'll be weird, you knowing them and them not knowing you at all."

"Yeah. I'm going to the crash site now, do you know where it is?"

"Sorry I don't, you'll have to ask either Dr Brio or Dr NGin."

"Ok see you later then."

"See ya, oh I'll get someone to pass on the time of the barbeque if I don't see you again."

"Ok."


	4. Chapter 4

Jake returned to the room where he left NGin and Brio. The elite-bots were still guarding the door.

"Where's the crash site?" Jake asked them as he entered the room.

"All I saw was the plane heading to the north side of XTreme Island." Brio said.

"We could probably find out where exactly from one of the lab assistants that Tropy took." NGin said.

"And where are they?" Jake asked.

"I can access the footage myself Mr Walker." Bob said.

"Of course, Bob has access to everything that goes through the system." NGin said.

"Good, so Bob can tell me the way can he?"

"More than that, he can show you. They all have a recording system that is activated when they follow a command."

"Before it shows the footage Mr Walker, it is likely to have recorded everything that happened, including what happened to your pilot and your friend being killed." Brio said.

"I'll be fine, just play it."

"Video file playback commencing in three, two, one." Bob then played the footage from the moment Tropy gave the command to follow him to when Toba was killed. Jake just had a very empty and cold look on his face throughout it.

"That's enough." Jake said and Bob stopped playing. "Was that Dingodile's boat?"

"No that was an old fishing boat we've had for a while. It should still be at the dock." Brio said.

"Do you have a comms room?"

"Yes but it only makes out-going calls."

"Perfect, I'll need to make a few calls when I get back. If or when Cortex wakes up just tell him he was put in the cell for being prick or something."

"Would you like some assistance sir?" Bob asked.

"Sure, send er… four of you to meet me at the boat. Where can I find you when I get back?"

"We'll be in our labs, just follow the signs." NGin said.

"Alright then, see you two later.

"Bye." Brio said.

"Bye." NGin said. Jake left and headed up the corridor.


	5. Chapter 5

Jake was walking across the castle courtyard where he looked up to see vast size of the towering castle above him, trying to work out how the hell it was defining Newton's laws of physics. As his eyes followed the height of the tower his vision suddenly changed with some sort of flash. Jake then noticed that all his surroundings had changed, the sky was a sunset red and the castle was destroyed in a few places with smoke and fire coming out of windows and rubble. The castle's height was reduced to just two stories with smoke coming out of its remains. Jake looked down at the ground and saw blood flowing under a pair of combat boots that he was wearing. Then, just as everything had changed, it switched back.

"I can barely remember the last time I had one of those." He thought to himself as he got up off the stone ground after collapsing. Jake continued to head towards the dock.


	6. Chapter 6

Jaseo was busy closing up at the Moulin Cortex bar when one of Favourani's Potoroo goons approached him.

"Jas, boss wants ya."

"What for?"

"You know that don't matter, just go see him." Jaseo finished propping up a stool and made his way up to Favourani's office with a window that overlooked the main stage and bar. Jaseo knocked on the door.

"Come in."

"You wanted to see me boss."

"Yeah, take a seat." Jaseo entered at sat down on the chair in front of the desk and Favourani stared out of the window to the floor below.

"I hear you're seeing that Vin Vixen now."

"You could say that."

"I also hear she's a bit of a gold digger as well."

"I know, but she knows she's ain't got anywhere left to go if she does dare to steal anything from me."

"Yes, just like the rest of living here."

"So I find other uses for her."

"I see. I wonder what kind of uses she will have here. Ever since them machines went to shit the number of customers has really declined. She's just what this place needs, a new face. Why don't you bring her down and we can have a discussion about it."

"With all due respect boss, that aint gonna happen."

"Are you defining a simple request?"

"Just telling you how it is."

"I think you are forgetting that when you work form me you do anything and everything I FUCKING tell you to KAPEESH!! So If I want you to bring in a whore you fucking bring me that whore!"

"*sigh* Yes boss." Jeseo replied fearing what Favourani will do to him if he pissed him off.

"Now get the fuck outa my sight and don't come back unless you bring me that whore!" Jaseo glared at Favourani with anger before answering.

"Yes, boss." Jaseo stood up and left.

"And you better start showing me some fucking respect!" Jaseo slammed the door shut just as a whisky bottle hit it. Jaseo was about to rip of his gloves but one of Favourani's men saw him.

"Don't even think about it prick." The thug warned him. Jaseo just gave him a dirty look and went back downstairs. Jaseo knew that when his boss wants something he often ends up getting it but Vin Vixen was _his_ whore and will not have her dancing and showing off in front of Favourani or his gang or anyone other than himself.


	7. Chapter 7

Shaun's body was still lying in the sand and his brown eyes were still open and rolled back. He had taken a bullet to the forehead. Jake turned to Bob.

"Can you carry him to the boat for me please?"

"Yes sir." Bob and one other of the three other lab assistants then lifted Shaun's corpse and took him to the boat.

Jake entered the plane looking for his bag that he had left by his seat, when he saw it was no longer there he figured Tropy must have taken it. He went up to one of the big four by four foot crates and undid the straps.

"You two, carry this crate to the boat and be careful with it." He said to the remaining assistants, as they did so he went to the cockpit and picked up Shaun's belongings. Jake took some metal briefcases that were next to Toba's transporter. He then looked for the quartz crystal that he used on the plane before he crashed. After a bit of searching he finally found it lying in the sand, it no longer had any life in it but he decided to take it anyway.

On his way back Jake was looking at the scenery on XTreme Island with its golden beaches and dense jungle. Jake then noticed the huge tree at its centre before he encountered yet another flashback. This time the big tree he was looking at had been burned to its bare branches and the entire forest around the island was reduced charred remains. He then noticed his boat had changed to a military dingy used in amphibious assaults. The island's shoreline was scattered with other military landing craft and boats. On the beaches there seemed to be bodies of soldiers both human and anthro. Jake then noticed something orange in the water near the dinghy and as he reached for it he returned to the present with his paw in the water. Bob had taken control of the boat after Jake entered his flashback. What was odd about it this time was that Jake was sure he saw non-human paw reach for the figure in the water.


	8. Chapter 8

Jake was in the comms room talking to Shaun's wife.

"Shaun was a good man and an excellent pilot, he died helping me and I promise you Mrs Brader that I will find your husband's killer, whatever it takes." He could hear her distress.

"Thank you for telling me yourself instead of some representative, will his body be brought home?"

"I'll be making transport arrangements straight after this call."

"Thank you *sniff* I have to go now, make some calls of my own."

"Goodbye"

"Bye." Jake hung up then started making another call.

"Sorry the number you've dialled has not been recognised, please hang up and try again." Jake waited for the automatic voice to do four loops until he heard a man's voice.

"Where the hell are you Jake and why has it taken so long to call us?!?"

"Sorry Sir."

"So what's been happening, why didn't you land in Kingston?"

"Well, that quartz crystal I had when I was young lit up as we approached that storm you sent me to investigate-"

"You were supposed to check it out AFTER landing in Kingston but go on..."

"so I told Shaun to fly into it and well, it made us crash on the Wumpa Islands."

"Oh we all know about the islands, two of them have popped up on satellite surveillance in the past twenty-four hours."

"That's odd, how many people know?"

"Well we've been keeping this from the public interest of course but everyone here knows and can't help talking about it. So what else have you found out so far?"

"Well it turns out those three scientists who disappeared with the islands are also here alive and well, apart from Cortex by the looks of it."

"I knew they were all hiding somewhere, that's why I had that warrant updated just in case. Did you get it from the courier?"

"Yeah and just in time as well. They haven't changed much, NGin still has that mortar sticking out of his head, looks like some sort of life support system and Brio no longer has those metal bolts attached to his head and Cortex has completely yellow skin."

"I was expecting Cortex to be dead from his liver failure by now."

"Anyway, after we crashed both Shaun and Toba were knocked out. I used the quartz crystal to see if I could find the source of the energy and it lit up like crazy, I climbed onto the plane to get a better view only to be struck by lightning."

"Luck seems to follow you wherever you go doesn't it?" Jake got the joke but did not laugh.

"I was still unconscious when Shaun and Toba woke up and guess who turned up to greet them."

"Who?"

"Tropy."

"Wow, have you met him in person yet?"

"Not since our last meeting, he must have been doing a back round check on me then realised who I really was and did a runner."

"That explains the minor security breach we had yesterday. So what happened?"

"When he arrived at the crash site he killed Shaun then broke Toba's neck." There was a pause.

"DAMMIT Jake! You see, this is why you should stick to the schedule! Now I've got more collateral damage to deal with and I knew you shouldn't have taken Toba with you."

"I know, but you know how stubborn he was."

"Yes, just like you. Anyway, you sound like you've already gotten over it. I'm sorry Jake, I know how close you two were close."

"You don't have to worry about calling Shaun's family, I've already done that myself."

"Oh how considerate."

"There's more."

"*sigh* just tell me, its only going to get worse."

"I think Tropy wanted to use me as some kind of test subject so he took me back to Cortex's lab. Cortex then used some kind of machine on me, which means all of my previous forms of my identification need to be replaced."

"What happened?"

"I'm not too sure, the machine's called the copy-ray or something and guess who I was copied from."

"Who?"

"Toba, I've been turned into an anthro."

"Well I guess its not too hard to believe with everything else that's happened around the world before. So you look like Toba?."

"Yes, and there's something you should know about the other inhabitants."

"What?"

"I believe there's a small colony of Anthros living here, it's not clear as to how many though. So I hope I have your assurance that the islands will not be found by the wrong people."

"Now you know I can only do my best. How evolved are they?"

"Fully evolved, bipedal and able to talk"

"Were they born like that?"

"The young ones were but I think the adults are the results of the scientists experiments."

"They created anthros?"

"I'm not sure, I intend to find out more. I would also like transport arrangements for Shaun to be taken to Kingston."

"I'll see what I can do. Have you found out what was causing the unusual weather yet?"

"No not yet, its all sunny now."

"So what are going to do with Toba's body?"

"I would like to make sure he's taken home as well, I would take him myself but under the circumstances it would be best if I don't."

"I understand, so when do you think you'll have a full report for me?"

"I'm not sure. You know, I don't think I can leave this place just yet, there's something about it that's very familiar to me and you remember me mentioning the Wumpa islands being my birthplace."

"I understand you want to find out about your past Jake but just remember you still have a job to do."

"I know."

"Well, more than one job really. Yes don't think I know about you accepting that Black-Op in the region."

"Well I wasn't going to go to the end of the world just to check out unusual weather when there was easy money to be made. Anyway, I'm meeting the other inhabitants soon."

"Ok. Now you are to call tomorrow morning at exaclty 0700 hours my time understood?"

"Yes."

"Oh and by the way, who did the security for phone you're using."

"I think I have some idea. What, have you been trying to trace this call the whole time?"

"Did you really think I wouldn't? No matter, we have the islands on live satellite footage right now."

"How many can you see?"

"Two."

"Oh right, interesting."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not sure yet, I'll hopefully let you know soon enough though."

"Remember, 0700 exaclty."

"Ok, bye then."

"Bye, and good luck with finding out about your past."

"Thanks." Jake hung up the phone and left the comms room with his bag that Tropy left behind.


	9. Chapter 9

Jake was in the room he woke up in that morning going through the crate that he got the lab assistants to bring back from the crash site. Inside it there were weapons both hand-held and automatic, magazines for the guns, a gun belt, a long combat knife, a GPS, survival kit, a field surgeon's pack, radio equipment and a resin coloured stone. The door then opened behind him.

"Hi Megumi."

"How did you know it was me?"

"You're wearing your favourite Wumpa Fruits perfume."

"So you getting used to your new senses then?"

"Well I was told that I had very good senses anyway."

"So what's all this stuff for?" She asked looking at the crate.

"Oh it's just the stuff I use for work."

"What kind of work requires this kind of stuff?"

"The kind that you're better off not knowing about."

"What are you anyway? Some sort of government agent or soldier?"

"Working for the government is just one of the things I do."

"Were you sent to find the Wumpa Islands?"

"I've been searching for the islands for years, that's why I carry around this special quartz crystal," Jake pulled the crystal out of his shorts pocket and showed it to her. "It was what got me struck by lightning, seems useless now. It's my job to investigate unusual events around the world, I used this crystal in case any one of them got me close to the Wumpa Islands and it finally paid off."

"Why have you been trying to find the Wumpa Islands?"

"I believe this is where I was born and coming here will help me remember more of my past especially my family. So do you know where the braii is?"

"Braii?"

"Sorry, I remember growing up in South Africa, it's what they call a Barbeque."

"Oh right, I actually came down here to tell you it's at Pinstripe's mansion soon and if you wanted to come with me?"

"Sure, I'll just finish up here then I'll catch up with you soon."

"Ok." Megumi then left the room. Jake put on a webbing belt he got from the crate and holstered the combat knife to it. He took the resin stone from its cushioned casing then left the room for the barbeque.


	10. Chapter 10

Jake and Megumi were walking together towards Pinstripe's mansion.

"Big place, doesn't look like it was always a house though."

"Yeah, you see those old ruins behind the house over there?" Megumi pointed to the remains of the old power station that polluted the islands over a decade ago.

"Yeah."

"That's what's left of the old power station, the storage wherehouse was converted into the mansion."

"I remember stories when I was young about this I think, is it safe? I thought the whole place was polluted."

"Well it was for a while but Dr Brio and NGin made sure the whole place was decontaminated."

As Jake and Megumi arrived everyone was already there, the young anthros were swimming in the pool, Crunch was cooking meat on the barbeque and NGin and Brio were drinking wine by the drinks table with Ernest. Tiny was sitting on a sun lounger next to Tani and Kong was half stoned on a deck chair. Chayenne was talking to Tani. Pinstripe got up from his lounger and welcomed Jake. Megumi went over to Coco and Tiffany who were also on sun loungers.

"Hey there, name's Pinstripe, this is my mate Tiffany, my son Tommy who's sitting by the pool over there and my two pals Blaze and his cuz Siegfried but he prefers Siegdog or Sieg."

"Interesting, so young." Jake mumbled to himself.

"Sorry?" Pinstripe asked.

"Oh nothing, who else is here?"

"That's Crash and Crunch over by the barbeque and his mate Tani is the Thylacine holding her daughter Tayna."

"No, way."

"No what?" Jake walked straight over to Crunch and Crash.

"Good evening Gen-Si- *ahem* Crash." Crash looked at him oddly.

"_Woops, almost caused trouble by force of habit_, Hi there, I'm Jake as you may already know." The moment Jake shook paws with Crash he collapsed to the ground.

Jake could hear nothing but feel a slight breeze blowing through his face. He opened his eyes and saw two hands holding onto a pair of handlebars in front of him. He was riding a bike down a suburban street and felt somebody supporting him from behind. The person behind him then let go and he was balancing the bike on his own.

"I've done it!" His voice seemed to say. Jake looked up to the sky to feel the breeze on his neck, he then saw small object in the sky above him, before he had a chance to see what it was somebody with brown fur suddenly grabbed him from the side.

"INCOMING GET DOWN!!!!!!!" Someone shouted. The scene then became very real and Jake heard the sound of a missile coming down and blowing up a house across the street. More explosions then followed.

"FIND SOME COVER!!!!!!!!"

*KABOOOM*!" A rocket landed enough distance in front of Jake to send him into shell shock. His sight became blurred and his ears were ringing. He could see the anthro that grabbed him also lying on a front lawn near him. Jake then felt two arms grab him and drag him away from the street to underneath the broken part of a destroyed tree. His vision was still blurred and could not make out whoever it was that was right next to him.

"I can't believe its already happening, don't worry Jake, I'll make sure you're safe from now on, get you away from all this." Jake's ears then started ringing really loudly as his vision whitened out.


	11. Chapter 11

Jake woke up on a sun lounger by Pinstripe's pool with a medi-bot, Dr Brio, NGin, Crash, Bob, Coco, Crunch and Megumi standing around him.

"How long was I out?" Jake asked them.

"You had lost consciousness for exactly four minutes and twenty-three seconds." The medi-bot answered.

"Are you ok, what happened?" Megumi asked as Jake sat up.

"Oh I'm probably just still recovering from Cortex's experiment."

"Well that's a relief, Crash thought he had done something wrong." Coco said.

"You must be hungry, would you like some of this meat I've been cooking." Crunch asked. Jake got up off the lounger.

"Oh yes I'm starving, I haven't eaten since yesterday morning. So what you got here?" They both walked over to the barbeque.

"I got some steak, pork, sausages, chicken, lamb." Jake got a paper plate from a table.

"Can I have some steak?"

"Sure," Crunch jabbed some steak with a meat fork and put it on his plate "So I hear you were once human."

"Yeah, until Cortex used that copy-ray on me." Crunch looked angry.

"Yeah, that yellow prick really pisses me off." Crunch said grinding his teeth.

"So how do you feel now that you're an anthro?" NGin asked.

"I'm not too sure, it was relieving at first but I still have the same feeling I had when I was human, like I'm not what I'm meant to be."

"I hear you don't want to be changed back." Pinstripe said.

"That's right but don't bother asking me why because it is too complicated." Jake picked up the steak off his plate and bit into it. Jake then closed his eyes as he enjoyed its taste.

"You like it?" Crunch asked.

"*sigh* Only you could cook like this Crunch."

"Thanks, but how would you know, are you saying you've had it before?"

"Hey Jake, wanna beer?" Dingodile shouted from the cooler box.

"Er no thanks, I think I'll need to stay sober tonight, got an early start tomorrow."

"That's too bad." Dingodile took a beer and handed one to Blaze and Pinstripe.

"So what's your story Jake? Who are you exactly and what did you do before you came here?" Blaze asked coming over from the cooler box with Dingodile and Pinstripe.

"It's a very long story and there are some things that I'm not sure I should talk about in front of the young ones."

"Tommy shudn't have a problem will ya son?" Pinstripe asked.

"Nah."

"Then just don't talk about any serious stuff then in front of Tackle and Tayna." Tani said.

"Hey! I'm not a cub!" Tayna shouted. Tackle didn't say anything because of his shyness.

"I'm cool." Collide said.

"Ok then, in that case I'll start with the first question, who am I? That's a question that even I can't fully answer. All I can remember about myself is that my father was in the army and he did everything he could to stop people like Tropy from finding me or anyone in his family so he sent me to South Africa. But unfortunately he still did. I don't recall much other than tracking Tropy to his secret bunker, I had the crystal called the err, what was it… 'Futurium Topaz' that was it. (Crunch and Tani exchanged looks as they remembered when they broke into a museum to get it.(OB2)) He wanted to use it to be able to use his new 'Time Twisting' machine and I knew that he could practically take over the world if he had it. So I gave it him by stabbing him with the crystal making it shatter into pieces with a big chunk still lodged in him. Then some sort of blue energy came out of it and it started to turn his entire body a bright blue. Then the portal that we were fighting in front of suddenly activated. Before he had any chance to react I pushed him into the vortex. It was like being in some tacky science fiction story. Anyway, I quickly blew up the portal before he got to the other end in the hope that he would be trapped in the vortex forever. After that, everything is blank until..." Jake entered deep thought again but with an empty expression.

"Are you ok Jake?" Megumi asked.

"Er yeah I'm fine. You know, whenever I try to remember about my past life I always draw blanks about the important things like who I really am, I can't even remember what my real name was, who my parents were or what their faces looked like. I can only remember that my dad was in the army because I remember his uniform. Whenever I do try to remember them I always end up remembering one thing, Tropy, with an everlasting hate towards him and the desire to kill him with my bare hands. Until now I have believed he was the one who could tell me about my parents and my past life."

"You said everything is blank until something." Brio said.

"I'm not too sure what happened, everything is all blurry. I remember it being night time, ash was falling from the sky and there were fires in the distance. Everything else was dark apart from one thing, Tropy, he was standing only a few metres in front of me holding some huge metal fork. It was then when I saw the return of another enemy, an ancient mask named Uka Uka who was meant to be dead. He now seemed to be working with the blue prick, I looked up at him as he approached then the rest, blank, nothing."

"When did you travel back in time and where to?" NGin asked.

"The next thing that I remember after that was waking up in the middle of a forest in North America. It was like waking up in a completely different world, as if I had spent the first eighteen years of my life in a coma. There were men in combat gear with earpieces standing around me then a Native American dressed in ceremonial clothing came up to me and introduced himself. He said his name was Alo Askuwheteau and that it was his job to look after me until I came round. He said that in nineteen eighty-eight defence ministers were having a meeting about an incident in southern Australia and halfway through the meeting I was sent hurtling across the floor in the centre of the room from a portal that had opened. Alan, that was what most people called him, told me that when I came through everyone at first thought I was a spy, a terrorist or some prankster. Because he was just a new recruit at the time it took him a while for The Pentagon to let him work the case if he agreed to bring me out of the state I was in so I was able to talk. I had come through with blood stained clothes and some metal containers. He said that I would not speak to anyone or give them any eye contact. One of the containers opened not long after I came through giving them all clear instructions on what to do with me, the other containers were on time-locks that were designed to only open on certain dates and destroy the contents inside if someone managed to open them before they were meant to. They also never let me see what was inside them for some reason. Alan then said I spent the next three months or so mentally unstable, blabbering a few words here and there 'Tropy' being one of them. When I would sleep I was told that they had to sedate me because I would always wake up screaming and scraping at the walls. After I woke up in the forest I was taken back to the Blacksite where they kept me and spent the next few weeks in interviews and intense questioning. All I could really tell them is what I'm telling you now and a few other things that I can remember from when I was young.

Over time more of the time-locked containers opened and everyone seemed to trust me more and more but they still didn't show me the contents. So until now I've just been working with the government. One of the things even though its a very small part of what I do, is to investigate any unexplainable occurrences and incidents around the world such as unusual weather and/or any sightings of so called monsters that get our attention, basically incidents where people report the 'monster' of any attacks or nuisance."

"Kinda like Hellboy?" Collide asked.

"Sort of, just without all the magic and a lot less monsters. But I hardly ever had any cases though so I just worked at other sectors, that was until two-thousand and one when things started to kick off. There were Tsunamis, Earthquakes, huge storms and volcanic eruptions all happening at the same time, we spent ages trying to work it out. Then, out of nowhere they stopped just as they had started. (Crash, Coco and Crunch exchanged looks) Then a bit over a year after that it started again, firstly Mount Mauna Lofa erupted but also released fumes causing the locals to hallucinate and see 'strange beasts battling it out', well, that was what the report said. (Crunch and Crash exchanged looks with a bit of a grin) Then there were fires erupting in Irvine, California. Followed by a freak volcano forming. I eventually got there after working on a contract and a group of officers told me that some huge guy in an animal suit with immense strength forced his way past them at a roadblock."

"They still think it was some guy in a suit?!? Stupid humans!" Crunch snapped. Some of the others then sighed and rubbed their heads in disappointment.

"Erm, excuse me?" Jake said. Crunch then realised that he just screwed up.

"Err well surely a human dressed in a suit wouldn't be able to force his way through an _entire_ police roadblock."

"Crunch, when you're in a hole and you've got a shovel…" Chayenne said.

"Looks like you have some explaining to do Crunch, not to me but to the guys who spent hours working their asses off trying to figure out just what the hell happened in Irvine."

"Well what was I supposed to do? I had to get in there and stop Py-Ro and those bloody idiot cops were stopping me!"

"Py-Ro! I knew the elementals had something to do with it all."

"You know them?" Coco asked.

"Yes, but I'm not sure if they know me yet. Crunch, you and I are going to have a long chat this and I suppose you must have something to do with the incidents in Alaska as well, I just remembered that one of the descriptions we have happens to match yours 'Bit over six feet, about 271 pounds with Burgundy fur and some kind of metal hand' I admit that the report made me think of you at first but I thought it was just a coincidence. Anyway, I'm not discussing it any further until the questioning."

"Hey who the hell do you think you are?!? I don't have to explain anything to you!"

"Well I'm afraid you have no choice on the matter ever since millions of dollars worth of damage was caused and two men ended up dead! Unless you don't want me to save your ass from the initial cover up that involves finding and bringing in the one responsible and you do _not_ want to know what they want to do with him! You know, everyone in Washington now know that the Wumpa islands were never destroyed and if the wrong people find out that the one responsible for those incidents and probably others has been hiding out here since then you're all fucked!"

"Hey, language! Not in front of the kids!" Tani yelled.

"It's ok mum." Tasha said.

"I wasn't the one attacked the town in Alaska!"

"I know you and that soldier you spared know that but my boss's bosses have been pretty hard to convince otherwise ever since."

"So what brought you here?" Dr Brio asked.

"Apart from the unusual weather a few things really, there were reports of some sort of 'ghost ship' seen off the coast of Tasmania and some sort of red UFO flying about but there hasn't been any hard evidence for either one. (They all exchanged looks and Brio gestured not to say anything.) The main reason I was here was because of the unusual weather system in the region. Shipping businesses were pressuring the government to investigate because they would nearly lose ships that encountered freak storms. I never thought I would find the islands so suddenly but as I said to Megumi earlier, I always was ready in case I ever got close to them." Pinstripe turned away to light a cigar and noticed someone coming up the path from along side the mansion from the front.

"What the hell does this prick want?" Pinstripe said.

"Who is it?" Blaze asked.

"It's that thieving shit Jas."

"Tani take the kids inside. Tawna, you may not want to see him either." Crunch said.

"Ok, Tasha, Tayna, Tackle come with me." Tani said.

"Aww but I wanna see dad fight someone other than Tiny mum." Tasha pleaded.

"No Tasha, now come inside!."

"Collide, you too, come on." Tawna said. Tani, Tawna and the younger kids all went inside the mansion in case any fights were about to break out. Pinstripe went to the gate to the path to stop Jaseo.

"What the fuck do you want?" Pinstripe demanded.

"Look, I don't want any trouble ok, I just need to speak with Brio." Pinstripe turned around.

"What does it want cuz?" Blaze shouted.

"Hey Doc! He wants to speak to you." Brio downed the last of his wine and made his way over followed by Crunch, Jake and Blaze.

"I thought I sent this weeks supply this morning Jaseo." Brio said.

"Then why would he… VIN! Dammit how could I've been so stupid?!? The fucking bastard will pay!"

"I don't understand." Brio said.

"It's Vin, I think he's gonna go after her."

"Why the hell do you care?" Pinstripe asked.

"She's mine!" Jaseo shouted as he ran back towards his hut on the castle island.

"Well, this is something. Think you'll see what's going on cuz?" Blaze asked Pinstripe.

"*sigh* Yeah. I'm still cool with Favourani and I think he'll end up doing something he'll regret because he sometimes forgets to take his pills, and I haven't seen him this week yet."

"Wanna come Jake, see what life is like here?" Blaze asked.

"Yeah why not."

"You're likely to only get trouble with people like them." Crunch said.

"We'll see you later then Crunch, we shouldn't be long." Blaze replied.

"See ya." Pinstripe said. Jake, Pinstripe and Blaze then made their way to the Moulin Cortex.


	12. Chapter 12

Jaseo ran inside his thatched roof house lobby.

"VINNY?!? BABE?!?" There was no response.

"You don't need to worry about her any more Jas." A voice said from behind him. Jaseo turned around to see one of Favourani's goons sitting in a chair pointing a gun at him.

"WHERE IS SHE?!?"

"Don't worry about her, she's with the boss now. I'm here to tell you that the boss will no longer be needing your employment."

"That whore is MINE!"

"Not anymore she ain't, now I suggest you stay away from the club from now on unless you want things to get very unpleasant for you."

"Derek!" Jaseo called out looking behind the gangster.

"Huh?!?" The thug span around to see no one there then quickly back again and fired his gun where Jaseo was standing.

"Fucking prick, don't make this any harder than this already is Jas!" Jaseo hid around the corner in another room. He took both his gloves off and conducted electricity from a wall socket. He closed his eyes as he felt the power enter his body after of not using the electrical powers that Madame Amberly once gave him for so long.

"You may want to fuck off now, its been a very long time since I last used my powers!"

"I thought we made it clear that you were to never take those gloves off Jas."

"It don't matter now that I've been fired though does it?"

"I guess not. Come one Jas, just come out so we can get this over with, I promise it'll be 'respectful' just like the boss wanted." The thug moved slowly into the lounge aiming down the Uzi's sights. Jaseo quietly snuck into the kitchen. He went up to the cupboard, took out a dusty hose and shoved one end into the tap then turned it on. He then ducked down by the doorway and sprayed the lounge floor with water. The Potoroo retaliated with gun fire shattering the door frame. Jaseo shot across the kitchen floor and through another door to the hallway.

"Think just because I can't swim that you can scare me with water, HA! COME ON, lets see those so called _powers_ of yours!?" He shouted from entrance between the lounge and the kitchen.

"Actualy I think I'll kill you just like the rotten shit-fly you are." Jaseo hit the floor again as bullets ripped through the thin palm wood walls. Jaseo decided he had enough and charged his paws up. He snuck back into the lounge the same way he entered the first time. Jaseo thought about bolting it out the front door and run to the club but he could be easily shot in the back. The hose in the kitchen was still spraying water across the kitchen and lounge floor. He could see the water slowly creep its way through the carpet towards him. The Potoroo spun around not sure where Jaseo was going to pop up next.

"Come here you fucking shit!" Jaseo waited until the Potoroo was facing away from him then stood up from in front of the sofa. He could hear and feel the now soggy carpet beneath him. The Potoroo turned around.

"Goodbye Jas, the boss sends his regards." The gangster said with a smile as he brought the up to his waist. Just as he was about to pull the trigger he stopped to see Jaseo with his glowing paws. He then looked down to see that he was standing an inch or so in water. Before he had a chance to react Jaseo zapped the water with electricity sending the Potoroo into a spasm that made him drop the gun.

"ARGH!," Jaseo stopped the electricity and went up to the paralysed gangster. Jaseo then picked up the gun and pointed it at him. "*heavy breathing* You ain't gonna kill me, you're not a killer Jas. I know because that pussy Crash and his boyfriend Crunch would be dead if you were. You just ain't got the balls kid!" Jaseo tried to ignore what he said as the gun shook in his hand. He closed his eyes for a brief second looking very tense. Jaseo then slowly opened his eyes again with a very cold glare.

"Send the boss my regards." He replied deeply.

*BANG!*

The Potoroo's corpse descended backwards onto the wet floor behind him as his brains were splattered everywhere. Jaseo ran back outside and made his way to the Moulin Cortex.


	13. Chapter 13

Favourani was in his study behind his desk popping pills into his mouth. His health had severly deiteriated recently, some of his fur was falling off revealing a few bald patches. He spent most of his time either in his office or his private qauters at the club and rarely went outside. He felt his mouth was going dry again so he took a swig from his whickey bottle. Someone knocked at the door.

"Yes?" One of his Potoroo bodyguards then opened the door.

"Er Vin's here boss."

"Ah yes, let her in." He held the door open and closed it after she entered. "Please, Vin, take a seat."

"What is this about exactly, where's Jas?"

"*sigh* I'm sorry Vin, what I'm about to tell you may come as a shock."

"Really?"

"It's Jaseo, he's dead." Vin Vixen just starred blankly.

"Oh. Not such a biggy I guess, stuff happens."

"Weren't you two close?"

"Not really, it wasn't that serious."

"Do you want to know what happened?"

"Not as if it'll make much difference but ok."

"We found him laying face down on the beach outside, we tried everything but it was too late. We think he had drowned."

"Really, oh well these things happen."

"Ok then. In that case I'll get straight down to business. Tell me Vin, are you much of a dancer?"

"Oh so this is what this is about. No not really."

"So have you ever danced much before?"

"Well if you count the discos we had at the academy when I was young* then yes but nothing other than that. Why do you ask?"

"Well I was just wondering if you would like to work here, the money is good and we could do with a new face."

"Doing what exactly?"

"Oh just whatever comes up."

"I think you'll need to be a bit more specific."

"You know, meeting people, socialising, servicing, you'll be able to afford all the stuff you've always wanted, mind you you'll probably be needing a job now that Jaseo's gone."

"Thanks but I think I can manage on my own like I used to."

"Are you sure? No man in the house, no fun, no one to bring home the money."

"I'll find someone else."

"Really, like who exactly?"

"I don't know, someone."

"I doubt you'll find anyone new on just these four islands alone."

"Well I'll think of something." Favourani got up and went over to a stereo and turned on some sexy dance music.

"At least let me see you dance."

"But I've never really properly-"

"Its ok, I wont laugh at ya, just wanna see what yer like, please."

"*sigh* Fine but I'm crap." Vin then started to sway with the music.

"That's good Vin, very good, why don't you try out that pole over there." Favourai pointed over to small dance pole stage in the corner of the room for his 'personal' performances."

"Hey I'm not one of your fucking whores!"

"Come on now, I'm asking you nicely, please, don't insult me."

"Look, I really need to go-"

"Go? Go where? There's nothing out there for us Vin and there never will be, what else could there possibly be in the fish bowl that we live in? Are you sure you want to try your luck with humans on the outside?"

"I don't know, I'll think of something."

"Just let me see ya dance already."

"I said I'm not going to dance for you-"

"Get on that pole right now before I let the boys have you to themselves!"

"No! I'm leaving!"

"You're not going anywhere you leeching whore!" Favourani went and grabbed her.

"Let go of me!" Vin grabbed a glass ashtray off an end table and smashed it over his head. Favourani stumbled a little.

"You fucking BITCH, I'm gonnna teach you some fucking respect!" Favourani back-pawed her across the face, she fell towards the dance pole with a scream. He then went back over to his desk and got out a needle with some brown fluid in it. "If you're not gonna give me what I want then it looks like I'm gonna have to make ya."


	14. Chapter 14

Jake, Pinstripe and Blaze were walking along the beach to the Moulin Cortex.

"What's this 'Moulin Cortex' then? Jake asked Pinstripe and Blaze.

"It's a burlesque hall and pole dancing club Cortex had built over a decade ago now, its just where all of us and the staff from the academy went to get some pussy." Blaze said.

"It's nothing now, first Tani left, then Tiffany and finally Tawna and then the machines shut down, people just stopped coming, the few the human chicks died of some STD so now only those like Koala Kong go there for drugs." Pinstripe said.

"Was he the stoner on the lounger?"

"Yeah." Blaze said. They were approaching the main entrance when Jaseo came up behind them.

"What happened to you?" Jake asked looking at the blood splatter on Jaseo's blue jacket.

"Never mind, you seen anyone yet?"

"No." Blaze answered.

"I'm gonna fucking kill him, _nobody _steals from me!"

"Easy now Jas, why don't I go talk with Favourani first? And where your gloves?" Pinstripe said.

"I won't be needing them anymore"

"What happened just now?" Blaze asked.

"He sent one of his thugs to kill me."

"Right, when we go in, you come in behind us kapeesh? And keep your hands out of sight." Pinstripe said. Jaseo put his hands behind his back. They all went inside and were welcomed by one of Favourani's goons.

"Hey Pinstripe, Blaze."

"Hi Tony"

"So what brings you here?"

"Oh well I just thought I would show the new guy around, this is Jake."

"Hello." Jake said raising his paw.

"Is the boss in?"

"He's busy right now, in a meeting." Jake could see he was lying. Tony then noticed Jaseo behind them.

"Jaseo, didn't you get the boss's message?"

"What message?" Jaseo said.

"Pinstripe, can I talk with ya a sec?" Tony and Pinstripe moved over to the bar.

"What the fuck Pinstripe? You know the boss will be hurt if he finds out you've been messing with his business, what did Jas tell ya?"

"Look, I wouldn't be here if I didn't care for the boss ok. I know that Vin Vixen must be here and I've got the impression that the boss hasn't been taking his meds."

"What meds?!?"

"Tony, everyone knows now. Look, just let me see the boss ok? I'll see to it that you won't get into shit."

"*sigh* Fine but you owe me ok?"

"Thank you. (turned around) It's ok guys." The four of them then made their way up the stairs.

"Let go of me!" They heard Vin yell followed by the sound of glass breaking.

"You fucking BITCH!"

"VIN!" Jaseo shouted.

"BOSS?" Pinstripe called out. As they ran up the stairs they could hear the music Favourani was playing and what sounded like Favourani talking. Pinstripe knocked on the locked door.

"Favourani? It's Pinstripe." There was no reply so he knocked on the door again.

"Enough of this, let me in there!" Jaseo demanded.

"Wait!"

"Favourani?" They then heard banging from the other side of the wall. Pinstripe was thinking on what to do next. "Stand back." They gave him some room as he kicked the door open.

"Fucking useless whore!" Favourani shouted as he pulled away from Vin with her legs open lying on a couch. Favourani zipped up his trousers.

"Favourani.?" Pinstripe said. Jaseo then burst in with Jake and Blaze behind him.

"Vin?!?" Jaseo said as he went up to her. Favourani had his back to them as he leant over his desk with heavy breathing. "Vin, Vin?!?" Jaseo repeated as he shook her a little. Jake then went over to her and checked her responses.

"Looks like she overdosed." Jake said as he pulled out the empty syringe from her arm.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!?" Jaseo shouted and charged up his hands ready to strike.

"Jaseo, no! Favourani, what happened?" Pinstripe said.

"What does it fucking look like?!? Everything's fucking shit that's what!"

"Have you stopped taking your medication?"

"What medication you fucking disrespecting prick!?!"

"You're a dead man Favourani!" Jaseo exclaimed.

"You better shut the fuck up right now Jas!" Pinstripe demanded. Blaze encouraged Jaseo step back. Favourani went over to the other side of his desk and opened a drawer. "Its ok Favourani, I'm here now." Favourani responded by revealing a gun and pointing it at them.

"Shut the fuck up! Nobody can give me what I want! Everything's just… fucking shit!"

"Please boss, put the gun down." Blaze pleaded. Jake was looking intently at him. Jaseo was bursting to fire his electricity.

"Pinstripe, you gotta get out of here, all of you, this place is fucking nothing anymore, fucking fishbowl fucking prison! Fucking Cortex! Humans! *heavy breathing* Get out Pinstripe, get out before it kills ya!" Favourani put the gun to his mouth.

"NO!"

BANG!

They all stood in silent as he descended to the floor against the wall leaving a smear of blood. Blaze then turned to Jake.

"Welcome to the Wumpa Islands."


	15. Chapter 15

"Boss?" Tony shouted as he came down the corridor. He burst into the office to see his boss lying on the floor with a hole in his head. He then lunged at Jaseo and punched him in the face. "You killed him you fuck!" Jaseo responded by throwing him across the room with a blow of electricity.

"No he didn't Tony! He killed himself." Pinstripe said. Tony then noticed the gun was still in Favourani's paw.

"Then you must have driven him to it!"

"Tony, you know about his depression." Pinstripe said.

"But he had been taking them for days, I've even saw him myself!"

"Where does he keep the medication?" Jake asked.

"Try his desk." Tony said. Jake went over to the other side of his desk and went through the drawers and picked up a pill container, he opened it and had a look at the Prozac pills.

"Er, this isn't Prozac."

"What?!?" Pinstripe, Blaze and Tony all said in unison.

"Yeah look, Prozac is always green and white, these are pink." Jake showed the pills to them.

"If this isn't Prozac then what is it?" Blaze asked.

"I don't know, looks like the Doc's got some explaining to do." Pinstripe said.

"What shall we do now then?" Tony asked them.

"Now, we need to get him to the morgue so he can be prepared for a funeral, and I want it to be respectful. Jake, can you go back and find out about his medication for us?" Pinstripe said.

"Sure."

"What should we do with Vin?" Blaze asked.

"I'm sure Jaseo is only pissed that he no longer has a fuck buddy." Tony said.

"Fuck you! I guess we could just give her a simple grave." Jaseo said.

"Better than leaving it to rot." Blaze said. Pinstripe went over took the jacket off Favourani's chair and covered the top half of Favourani's body.

"Where did Favourani get the heroin?" Jake asked.

"Cortex only started bringing it in from Melbourne a bit under a year ago now, Favourani would then send me to get it from him every week." Jaseo answered.

"Ok, well lets get her body to the morgue, are you ok to deal with Favourani Pinstripe?"

"Yeah we'll do what we need to, I'll meet you back at the house."

Jake and Jaseo wrapped Vin's body in the floor rug and took her to the morgue and left Pinstripe, Blaze and Tony to deal with Favourani's corpse.


End file.
